The Lezyne Super Drive XL is a stubby little LED light that puts out 589 Lumens for $120. It has a nice bar mount, improved from last year and it can be mounted on the bar or the helmet.

This has the ‘infinite’ battery which is field replaceable, so the rider can keep replacing the battery to extend run time.

The light output Lumen graph is flat throughout its battery cycle. That is what it’s designed for, if you want a light that will deliver its promised output throughout the battery run time, in all kinds of inclement conditions and hot weather.

Note that when you turn the light on, you will not get the 575 Lumens as advertised in the box. You have to go through a special sequence (pressing the button for 6 seconds) to go in to the special overdrive mode. It’s not difficult to enter this mode, but we are fairly certain many users will never realize that they are not in 575 Lumen mode by default. But a good feature is the light will remember what mode you were in last time and it will keep it there.

Strengths

Lumens over time graph is as flat as it gets. That means you get the same about the same amount of light throughout the run time.

Good to have kit option

Good beam pattern with side visibility

Field replaceable battery extends run time

Weaknesses

Light got a quite a bit fatter than last year

Having the claimed output level in a hidden Overdrive mode is not ideal since it will be missed by many

Rear battery cover is easy to cross-thread and a bit difficult to screw in

Switch is very stiff

Having a high-powered lithium battery bouncing around your bag or pocket can be unsafe

Mounting

Mounting is the same as last year with the two sizes of plastic mounts for the two diameters of handlebars. It works but is a bit of a pain to keep together and tighten properly.

Mtbr Light Meter Measurements

This light measured 52 Lux on our ambient light measurement facility. The light output measurement is performed by placing a Lux light meter beside the light. Both are pointed at the ceiling (five feet above) of a dark room. This measurement uses the ambient light produced by the bike light.

Integrating Sphere Measured Lumens

This light measured 589 Lumens in an integrating sphere. Claimed Lumens by the manufacturer is 575 Lumens. The Lumen-hour graph below shows how the light performs over the first three minutes of its battery cycle.

Tunnel Beam Pattern Photo

The location is useful since it has walls and a ceiling that can display a bike light beam pattern. The walls have a lot of graffiti on them and actually show detail when they are lit up by a light with a wide angle. Cones and targets are set up with the far target set up at 120 feet.

The founder of mtbr and roadbikereview, Francis Cebedo believes that every cyclist has a lot to teach and a lot to learn. "Our websites are communal hubs for sharing cycling experiences, trading adventure stories, and passing along product information and opinions." Francis' favorite bike is the last bike he rode, whether it's a lugged commuter, ultralight carbon road steed, singlespeed or trail bike. Indeed, Francis loves cycling in all its forms and is happiest when infecting others with that same passion. This obsessive personality has also turned him into a bit of an addict when it comes to high quality coffee and IPAs.

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